Abstract
Home-based cottage industry is one of the best income generating activities throughout the developing world in general and Pakistan in particular. An estimated 300 million people in the developing countries are engaged in home-based work; half of them are women, and 80% of these women belong to the poorest socio-economic strata of society. Women home-based workers significantly contribute to their household incomes by engaging in activities, such as handicraft production and livestock rearing etc. Conventionally, Balochi hand-made embroidery production is an important home-based economic activity especially for rural women in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. These embroidered pieces have high demand; both in rural and urban parts of the country. However, Balochi embroidery production business is mostly carried-out through informal means at household or community level. Such women embroidery workers are typically not affiliated with any institutions or organization. Hence, they become susceptible to exploitation by different actors within the value chain. The general objective of the study was to analyze the gender perspective of home-based Balochi embroidery value chain in Quetta and Mastung districts of Balochistan, Pakistan. Data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaire at the household level, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study findings deliberated that home-based women embroidery workers usually belonged to the poor socio-economic backgrounds and despite of consuming the major part of their day and energies made an inadequate amount. And the wholesaler earned almost the same amount as of producers by only selling the pieces in the market. Sometimes, the middle man, retailer and producer (women) earned more or less the same amount. The reasons for such exploitation involve the ineffective role of the concerned organizations, lack of governmental and institutional support mechanisms, disjoint marketing chain, poor awareness of women workers regarding market trends and their rights. This study is also significant because it suggests important insights for organizations working with women home-based Balochi embroidery workers involved in hand-made embroidery production in a varied rural setting of Balochistan and elsewhere associated with the similar problems, challenges and prospects. Lastly, since the subject is an ignored one, the study provides an entry point for future studies
Mehwish Qudoos Alizai, , Nadia Agha (PhD)2, Aurangzaib Alizai3, Sajida Noureen (PhD). (2017) Socio-economic Conditions of Women Home-based Balochi Embroidery Workers in Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan Review, Volume 1, Issue 1.
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